22nd October, 2015
Yakubu Dogara, Speaker, House of Representatives, on Thursday constituted 96 Standing Committees to oversee the country’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Dogara announced the composition of the committees, their Chairmen and Deputies at plenary.
In the distribution of chairmanship positions, All Progressives Congress (APC) legislators got 48 slots; lawmakers of the opposition parties would chair 47 committees with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) having 45 slots.
Social Democratic Party (SDP) and All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) lawmakers are to chair one committee each.
Some lawmakers who retained their positions as chairmen of committees they headed in the 7th Assembly are: Reps. Mohammed Monguno (Borno-APC), Agricultural Production and Services; Aminu Suleiman (Kano-APC) Tertiary Education and Nkiruka Onyejeocha (Abia-PDP) Aviation.
Others are: Nnenna Ukeje (Abia-PDP) Foreign Affairs; Jones Onyereri (Imo-PDP) Banking and Currency; Shehu Shagari (Sokoto- APC), Judiciary and Nicholas Mutu (Delta-PDP) NDDC.
Some of new members who were named committee chairmen are: Reps. Oladele Kayode (Ogun-APC), Financial Crimes; Samuel Ikon (Akwa Ibom-PDP), Inter-Parliamentary Relations; Timothy Golu (Plateau-PDP) Legislative Budget and Research, Abdulrazak Namdas (Adamawa-APC).
Eight additional committees constituted in the 8th assembly are: Agricultural Colleges and Institutions; Basic Education and Services; Delegated Legislation and FCT Judiciary.
Others are: Health Institutions, IDPs, Refugees and Initiatives on North-East, Insurance and Actuarial Matters and Tertiary Education and Services.
The committees would be chaired by Reps. Linus Okorie, Mohammed Zakari, Simon Arabo, Laori Kwamoti, Betty Apiafi, Sani Zoro, Olufemi Fakeye and Aminu Suleiman respectively.
Legislators loyal to Dogara, who belonged to the Consolidation group such as Reps. Jibrin Abdulmumin and Adams Jagaba would chair Appropriation and Interior committees respectively.
The committees for Army, Defence, Navy, Finance, Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Petroleum Resources (Upstream) would be chaired by Reps. Rima Kwewum, Muktar Aliyu, Abdussamad Dasuki, Babangida Ibrahim, Akinlaja Joseph and Victor Nwokolo.
The committees on National Planning and Economic Development, Media and Public Affairs, Police Affairs and Science and Technology would be chaired by Reps. Jephter Foigha, Abdulrazak Namdas, Haliru Jika and Beni Lar.